Connecting communities: Why free WiFi is beneficial for businesses and customers

Community, Culture, Featured, Special Needs

Connecting communities: Why free WiFi is beneficial for businesses and customers

January 2, 2021by | Katelyn Monoco | 0 comments

In this highly interconnected digital age, staying up-to-date on breaking news, work emails, and last minute calendar changes means having access to WiFi. Offering free WiFi in shared spaces creates a mutually beneficial environment for customers, colleagues, and the greater community. Fast, secure, and reliable WiFi will not only expand your customer base, but it will also help you foster a collaborative space and new opportunities for your business.

Keep customers satisfied and coming back

In a survey commissioned by Devicescape, 77% of small businesses that participated rated complimentary Wi-Fi as “important” or “very important” to their operations with many citing the competitive edge it gave their businesses. Almost two-thirds of respondents reported that upon offering WiFi, customers spent more time on site, leading to an increase in customer spending for 50% of those surveyed. The survey covered a wide range of businesses—bars, coffee shops, restaurants, book stores, and salons—indicating that free WiFi is an amenity with wide customer appeal and the potential to bolster business regardless of the industry.

Promote your brand and increase customer engagement

Offering free WiFi is an excellent opportunity for customers to interact with your brand. An eye-catching landing page for customers to connect to your complimentary WiFi is a great way to spread awareness about the products and services you offer, upcoming sales and events, and opportunities to follow your business on social media for continued engagement. Additionally, free WiFi makes it more convenient for users to “check-in” to your business online and upload photos and reviews to the internet right then and there without eating up their limited cellular data. Providing reliable services, such as WiFi, will make your business stand out and have your customers coming back for more.

Fostering collaboration and creating a more equitable community

Nearly nine-in-ten Americans said the internet has been “important” or “essential” to them during the coronavirus pandemic, according to a recent study by the Pew Research Center. WiFi access makes it easier for your customers to check emails, share files, and connect with others in real time while frequenting your business—an amenity your customers will appreciate at a time when so many are working and studying remotely.

As individuals lean more heavily on the internet to stay connected during this time of social distancing, the topic of the “digital divide” has resurfaced. The Pew Research Center reports that 59% of low-income parents navigating remote learning reported that their child may face digital obstacles in their schoolwork, with 22% citing the lack of a reliable internet connection as a barrier. Businesses offering free WiFi can help alleviate the pressures that many Ithacans may be facing, while positioning themselves as valuable community hubs.

The digital divide is one of the biggest social equity issues we face. Libraries have long provided free WiFi and internet access, but in this pandemic, virtual access to education and economic opportunities are requirements for successful living. Take a look at library curbsides and parking lots—we see kids and teens doing schoolwork in cars, on patios, and benches; we see adults connecting and applying for jobs. Many Zoom in to Board meetings from their cars. Is everyone opening their networks for this? Schooling and working from home are not the same and people lack the digital infrastructure, technological support, and economic means for equitable access. Digital equity is a public right and it will take all of us working to bridge the infrastructure, provide access, and level the economic barriers. PNKs (Personal Network Kits), hot spots where cell towers exist, and creative community partnerships are some of the ways this need is being answered in Buffalo, the Bronx, and Kingston. Schools are desperate for a solution—as we all should be. There is also a loss of connection to family and social networks that has widened in the pandemic. I read bedtime stories to my grandchildren on FaceTime; the Mayor of Ithaca reads bedtime stories to the entire digital community through a partnership with the Children’s Reading Connection, Buffalo Street Books, and the Library. Imagine if your digital life was limited to the access you find only at the library?

– Annette Birdsall, Director of Tompkins County Public Library

It is important to highlight that disparities in internet access are highly correlated with race. McKinsey & Company reports that school systems serving predominantly black students—and their families—are less likely to possess the digital infrastructure required for remote learning. In this sense, the coronavirus pandemic heightens existing barriers, such as the “digital divide” faced by black community members.

Additionally, social distancing during the pandemic has illuminated that connection can take many forms in our increasingly digital world. Access to WiFi makes it possible to call family across the country or check-in on a friend you haven’t seen in awhile—invaluable experiences that shouldn’t be limited by the lack of an internet connection.

“Compared with 21.2 percent of white households and 11.9 percent of Asian households, 36.4 percent of black households report having either no broadband internet or no computer at home. This gap in broadband access—and access to learning during the pandemic—will likely widen preexisting achievement gaps, themselves strongly correlated with racial and socioeconomic disparities.”

– COVID-19: Investing in Black Lives and Livelihoods, McKinsey & Company

Understanding WiFi best practices

Ensuring that personal information is secure is one of the key concerns that businesses and consumers have when it comes to accessing public WiFi. Keep your business and community safe by adhering to these best practices:

Monitor your network for suspicious traffic.
Create a Terms of Service agreement that customers must accept before connecting to your WiFi network. This limits your legal risk in the event that users act inappropriately on your connection.
Set up rules to prevent hackers from spreading malware and to prevent high bandwidth usage from one user.
Separate “business” and “guest” WiFi networks to protect your business data and your customer’s payment information.
Place your WiFi router in an area that is close to your customer seating or shopping area to provide the best signal strength.
Select a reputable Internet Service Provider (ISP) to help with the initial WiFi setup.
Talk with the ISP to determine the amount of bandwidth you will need. Keep in mind that you’re not just dealing with computers, but also customer’s mobile devices.
Ensure that your equipment is up-to-date and is replaced regularly to keep up with changing standards
Make it easy for visitors to obtain the guest network name and password to get online.

Investing in accessible WiFi

Here are some things to keep in mind as you set up a new connection:

A small business owner can provide WiFi for as low as $50 by sharing public broadband.
$20/month contracts with some providers allow for continuous service.
WiFi installation typically takes one to two days of time.
Costs vary based on the size of your coverage area, the number of anticipated users, and the amount of security you invest in.
There are various ISPs to choose from—make sure to compare prices and plans. Here’s a quick breakdown from Business.org.

If you have further questions about offering complimentary WiFi and best practices for managing your network, here are some helpful resources:

Check out Ithaca.Community to discover which local businesses offer free Wi-Fi and other resources!